The United Arab Emirates has emerged as the global leader in workforce growth, boasting an impressive 12.1% increase. This insight comes from a recent report indicating that the nation plans to create over a million new jobs across various sectors by 2030, reflecting a significant economic transformation. The main challenge lies not in job creation itself, but in equipping the workforce with essential skills. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the global economy, the UAE is proactively crafting its future rather than waiting for it.
Global Report
The “Workforce Skills Outlook 2025” report, released by ServiceNow in collaboration with Pearson, predicts a 26% growth in job opportunities within the UAE’s financial sector, driven by economic expansion and increasing demand for technological empowerment. The UAE is leading worldwide with a workforce growth rate of 12.1%, surpassing Saudi Arabia (11.6%) and India (10.6%). In the tech sector, the UAE ranks second globally with a remarkable growth forecast of 54%, just behind India’s 95%. This surge positions the UAE as the fastest-growing job market on the planet, outpacing major economies such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and India. Remarkably, not only is the volume of new jobs noteworthy, but so is their nature. The tech sector in the UAE is anticipated to expand at an extraordinary rate of 54%, translating to over 91,000 specialized tech roles added to a current base of approximately 169,000 from a total of 8.5 million jobs in the country.
Manufacturing Sector
According to the report, the manufacturing sector leads with an expected addition of 133,000 jobs, underscoring intensified efforts to bolster the national industrial base. Following closely, the education sector is expected to contribute around 78,000 jobs due to the expansion of educational systems and rising demand for academic and training professionals. The retail sector is projected to add about 60,000 jobs, while the financial sector will create over 40,000 new positions, and the healthcare sector will generate approximately 39,000 jobs in response to population growth and improvements in health services. In terms of growth rates, the energy and utilities sector is anticipated to lead with a 33% increase, followed by education at 31%, and manufacturing at 18%.
The report highlights the most in-demand tech roles, with search engine marketing strategists at the forefront, predicting around 5,600 new jobs. They are followed by computer programmers at 4,200, and computer systems analysts at approximately 2,700. This distribution demonstrates a rapid shift toward a digital economy, where the significance of online marketing and digital commerce continues to escalate, alongside a persistent need to develop software and supportive systems for digital transformation across sectors. The report underscores that advancements in artificial intelligence will not eliminate human jobs but will redefine the nature of work. In the financial services sector, AI agents, capable of making decisions and operating semi-independently, could perform tasks equivalent to those of 17,000 full-time employees, accounting for about 6.6% of the current workforce in that sector.
Impact of Artificial Intelligence
The report indicates that artificial intelligence could save the UAE the need for approximately 650,000 additional workers, reaffirming AI’s role as a productivity booster.
Weather John Rogers, Vice President for Strategic Accounts at Pearson, stated, “AI is reshaping the world of work, but we will see more empowerment than replacement. However, technical skills will remain crucial, and individuals will need to undergo continuous retraining to keep pace with rapid changes.” The report has also identified a parallel challenge—beyond the skills gap—regarding weak governance of AI. Data shows that only 44% of organizations globally have formal data governance, privacy, and compliance policies, which is a slight decrease from 47% the previous year, indicating that technological advancements are outpacing the development of regulatory frameworks.